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The most interesting part for me is the note about Tyrion, it seems that the Second Sons were attacked before Plumm and Tyrion had time to switch the sides. I think that Tyrion was taken captive and I can't imagine Vic liking a dwarf and Lannister and the one with mismatched eyes like Euron on the top of all, on the other hand Moqorro is with him and he knows Tyrion is important. I can imagine that Jorah fares even worse.

I don't think that's so clear. Barristan doesn't know where the Second Sons are. He assumes that they must have been distracted by the ironborn, but he sees the ironborn fighting the Yunkish. Tyrion and Brown Ben Plumm were aware of the ironborn's arrival before the battle started--we know that from the Tyrion chapter--so presumably they wouldn't have been caught off guard. (Nor could I see them attacking the ironborn under the assumption that they must be the enemy.) I imagine that they would keep their distance from the ironborn until they know what's up with this new element.

If I had to guess, I would assume that Tyrion's 'misery' comes from being upstaged by Victarion. He might still win himself over to Ser Barristan by changing sides, but everybody's going to attribute the victory to Victarion's sudden arrival, not Tyrion's cunning. (Which is always the way with Tyrion, it occurs to me.)

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The chapter begins with a gory description of the bodies of plague victims being thrown into the city by the trebuchets. Only the northern districts across the river are far enough away to avoid being hit.

I wonder if this tidbit foreshadows the path of the plague (greyscale) that Connington might very well have brought to Westeros? In other words, just as the northern districts beyond the river in Meereen are too far away for the plague victims to reach, perhaps the North, beyond the River Trident, will be too far away (from the epicenter of the plague, i.e., Connington) for the greyscale epidemic to reach. ETA: Ninja'd by Ice Turtle, which probably bodes well for this line of speculation. :)

Barristan rides into the large market by the western gate wearing his new Queensguard armor and riding the silver horse that Drogo gave to Dany. He feels that this is presumptuous, but thinks that even while the queen is missing it is important to have some symbol of her around to improve morale.

Way back in AGOT, Dany pointed out that riding someone else's horse was a pretty huge taboo among the Dothraki---to the point where khals who were willing to share their wives would still refuse to share their horses. Barristan sees this as presumptuous, but necessary for morale---Dany might feel differently, (especially depending on how her encounter with the Dothraki goes).

There are five thousand unsullied, the Storm Crows, a ragged band of about twenty dothraki and the pitfighters.

Are five thousand Unsullied all that's left? Or are the rest of the Unsullied being held in reserve for some reason? Back in ASOS, Dany's deal with the Astapori included "The eight thousands, the six centuries... and the ones still in training as well. The ones who have not earned the spikes.” Have over three thousand Unsullied died thus far (which seems odd---you'd think someone would've mentioned that Dany's lost almost a third of her "original" amount of Unsullied), or was a large number of Unsullied left behind in the city? (And if there's a large number of Unsullied in the city, perhaps that will end up relevant during the battle?)

Barristan reminds the commanders that they must retreat or advance when they hear the Red Lamb blow the horn.

Who wants to bet that Victarion ends up blowing the dragon horn (or having it blown) during the battle, Barristan's forces hear it and assume it's the Red Lamb's call to retreat/advance, and Victarion accidentally ends up screwing up Barristan's battle plans?

The stormcrows take up the cry, “Daario!” and “Stormcrows, fly!” Barristan thinks that he will never again doubt the valor of sellswords.

Especially given the Stormcrows' battle cries: "Daario" and "Stormcrows, fly!" Way back in ASOS, Dany said this to the leaders of the Stormcrows:

“Stormcrows do not stand at all. They fly, at the first sign of thunder. Perhaps you should be flying now. I have heard that sellswords are notoriously unfaithful. What will it avail you to be staunch, when the Second Sons change sides?”

Who wants to bet the Stormcrows are planning on switching over to Yunkai during this battle? The Second Sons are (probably) about to change sides (so Dany's own words would foreshadow the Stormcrows failing to be staunch), and the Stormcrows' two battle cries invoke 1) the captain that was perfectly willing to betray his employer the last time around and 2) the idea of fleeing a battle.

Realizing that the Greyjoys have arrived, his first thought is “Has Balon joined with Joffrey, or the Starks?” But he realizes that he’s heard that Balon is dead, and wonders if this has something to do with the Balon’s son, the boy who was a ward of the Starks.

It's interesting to get a glimpse of how very "out of the loop" Barristan is when it comes to what's happened in Westeros.

“It’s like Baelor Breakspear and Prince Maekar, the hammer and the anvil. We have them! We have them!”

Given that Maekar ended up eventually killing Baelor Breakspear, this comparison might not presage positive future relations between Barristan and Victarion.

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Yeah it's a bit weird that he knows about Balon's death before knowing anything about how that man had invaded the north against the Starks.

You know, it occurs to me that Quentyn's coterie would know a lot about what happened in Westeros up until the end of ASOS or so, so it's a little strange that Barristan hasn't gotten information from them. (Daenerys didn't seem much interested either, but she was a little checked out in those days.) Then again, he does have more pressing matters, so perhaps he intends to return to that subject later.

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Well, Stormcrows may fly towards the storm same as away. They know they have to win as their former employer won't be too happy with them. And as far as command goes, if I was mercenary and saw on one side herons and chained slaves, I gues you'd wish to be on the other side ;)

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Who wants to bet that Victarion ends up blowing the dragon horn (or having it blown) during the battle, Barristan's forces hear it and assume it's the Red Lamb's call to retreat/advance, and Victarion accidentally ends up screwing up Barristan's battle plans?

:o

Oh, the irony... I can see this happening. Thick Vic saves the day only to ruin it...

How bewildered Selmy must have been - Greyjoys, of all people, coming to his aid so far from Westeros. In the middle of the madness and absurdity of war, as he himself said, more madness seems only natural, I guess :D